The Lion King: Prince of the Pride
by HorrorFan6
Summary: This is the story of Kopa, son of Simba and Prince of the Pride Lands. Loved by his parents and next in line to be king, Kopa's life was perfect in every way. But one lioness in the pride will make sure this doesn't last...even if she has to kill...
1. Prologue: Memories

Prologue

Memories

"NOOO!"

Simba the Lion King woke with a start, sweat pouring down his red mane and his heart thumping rapidly. He looked wildly around, his eyes wide with terror and agony as he came to grips with where he was.

Beside him, Nala lifted her elegant head. "Simba?" she asked, concern overtaking the sleepiness in her voice. "Are you okay?"

All around them, the other lionesses were looking at their king and queen, sleepy-eyed and mumbling in confusion. A few feet to Simba's left, his daughter Kiara and her mate Kovu were gazing questioningly at him. "Daddy?" Kiara said.

Simba's legs shook violently as he rose to his feet and staggered out of the cave and onto the ledge of Pride Rock. The sun was just starting to peek above the horizon, throwing long shadows across the Pride Lands.

_Everything the light touches is our kingdom._

Simba closed his eyes, and a lone tear rolled down his cheek. "Kopa…" he moaned. "Oh, Kopa…"

"Simba?"

He opened his eyes and looked behind him. Nala had emerged from the den and was walking toward him. She saw the tear trail running down his face, and her confusion and concern turned to alarm. "Simba, what's wrong?" She walked up to him and rubbed his shoulder with her head. "What's bothering you?"

"Nothing, I…I just had a bad dream, that's all." Simba continued to look over the kingdom, refusing to meet his mate's eyes.

"About what?" Nala prodded gently. "It's all right, Simba. You can talk to me."

Simba sighed, knowing she wasn't going to like what he was going to say and that she wouldn't let him off the hook until he did. Without looking at her, he replied, "It was about Kopa."

Nala's breath froze in her throat. Simba glanced at her, anguish filling his eyes.

"Oh…Simba!"

Nala's face broke and she pressed herself close to her mate, seeking comfort from his warmth. She began to cry, her tears spilling freely and dribbling down his mane. Simba hugged her against him with his head, his own tears flowing as well.

"Daddy?"

Simba and Nala looked up. Their daughter Kiara was standing at the mouth of the den, Kovu by her side. Both of them looked concerned.

"Father?" Kovu asked. "Is everything okay?"

Simba gazed at his son-in-law, and he felt his heart lift slightly. It was so hard to believe that, only yesterday, he'd thought of him as an enemy. "Yes, Kovu," he said quietly. "I'm all right."

Kiara approached her father and rubbed her head against his affectionately. "What's wrong, Daddy?"

Simba glanced at Nala, who was trying to pull herself together. She had stopped crying, but her eyes were still threatening tears. He returned his gaze to his daughter and said, "I had a nightmare about…about Kopa."

Kiara blinked. "Kopa?"

Nala took a deep, steadying breath and said, "Kopa was your brother."

There was a long silence. Kiara's eyes filled with confusion and surprise. Kovu was looking from Simba to Nala to Kiara and back again.

Finally, Kiara said, "I…I have a brother?"

"Had," Simba corrected quietly. "He…he died before you were born."

Another long pause. Then Kiara asked, "Why didn't you ever tell me?" She didn't sound accusatory, just calmly curious.

"Because…it hurt to talk about him," Simba explained. "So we agreed to not mention him around you. We didn't want you to live with the same pain we have for years."

"But now that you know," Nala murmured, "we can't keep the secret anymore. We have to tell them, Simba."

Simba looked over at Nala, sighed, and nodded.

"Have you ever wondered why I was so protective of you?" he asked Kiara. "Did you ever question why I always sent Timon and Pumbaa to watch over you when you were playing?"

Kiara shrugged her shoulders. "I thought you were just being a good father watching out for his daughter."

Simba smiled, but there was no mirth in his eyes. "That was part of it. But I had other reasons, too." He turned to Kovu. "Did Zira ever tell you why I exiled your family?"

Kovu was obviously surprised at the question. Simba hadn't mentioned his mother since he and the other Outlanders had joined his pride. He replied, "She just said that you were angry because she had remained loyal to Scar after his death."

Simba nodded. "That was the excuse I gave her. I had no proof of what I think really happened…"

He broke off, turning his gaze upon the Pride Lands. The sun's golden glow was beginning to creep across the plains toward Pride Rock. A new day had dawned.

"It was my fault," Simba said suddenly, his voice strangled with emotion. "I wish I could go back and change it. I've tried putting it behind me, but I can't. Because no matter how much I try to tell myself it's not true, it's all my fault that Kopa was killed…"


	2. Chapter 1: The Prince is Born

Chapter One

The Prince is Born

Simba paced back and forth outside the mouth of the den, his heart beating faster than usual. His best friends Timon the meerkat and Pumbaa the warthog were watching him, not saying anything. It was morning, but the sun still had not risen, leaving everything in a state of semi-darkness. All was silent except for the rustle of leaves in the wind and the occasional call of some bird in the darkness.

"Yeesh, Simba! Calm down!" Timon finally said, breaking the silence at last.

Simba paused and looked around. "I'm sorry, Timon," he said, clearly agitated, "but I'm about to be a father. I'm too nervous to calm down!"

He looked once again at the dark entrance to the den. His Nala was in there somewhere. Was she okay? And how was the cub?

As if reading his mind, Pumbaa spoke up. "You know Rafiki won't let you in," he said.

Simba groaned in frustration, mostly because he knew Pumbaa was right. The wise old baboon had told him the moment he arrived that Simba was to wait outside until the cub was born. He knew Rafiki would never change his mind.

"Nala?" he called. "Are you all right?"

"Yes, Simba, I'm fine!" Nala called back. She sounded as if she was trying to retain some semblance of patience.

Somewhere inside, Simba heard someone chuckle. Had to be Rafiki.

No less worried than before, Simba resumed his anxious pacing. Timon decided to let it go. Instead of berating him, he started humming to himself. Before long, Pumbaa joined him in the melody. It took Simba a little longer to recognize the tune. When he finally did, he paused, letting the familiar music fill him.

"_Hakuna matata_," he sang softly in harmony, "_what a wonderful phrase_."

Timon and Pumbaa began to sing as well, quietly so as not to disturb any of the sleeping animals below. "_Hakuna matata, ain't no passin' craze. It means no worries for the rest of your days. It's our problem-free philosophy_..."

"_Hakuna matata_," a deeper voice joined in. Simba wheeled around and saw Rafiki standing at the mouth of the den. He was leaning against his walking stick, his aged face split by a knowing smile.

Simba felt his heart miss a beat. He opened his mouth to ask about Nala and the cub, but the words got lost on their way up his throat. Rafiki answered the unspoken question with a chuckle. "The prince is born."

Without a word, Simba rushed into the den. Nala lay a few feet in front of him, smiling slightly at her mate's anxiety. Cradled in her front paws was a little golden-furred cub. His eyes were closed, his face half-hidden by his tiny paws. Simba felt his breath catch in his throat. "He…he's beautiful," he said to Nala, who smiled more widely and nodded.

"His name is Kopa," she replied. That was the name they'd chosen long ago if they were to have a boy.

Simba grinned, joy rapidly building inside him till he thought he'd explode. He rubbed his head affectionately against Nala's and nuzzled the cub. His eyes remained closed; they would not open for another week or so.

Simba heard someone enter and turned to see his mother Sarabi standing at the entrance. She was positively beaming with excitement. "Rafiki tells me I am a grandmother," she said, stepping closer to her son.

Simba nodded and stood aside, allowing her to look at Kopa. Sarabi gazed in adoration at the newborn cub before turning her gaze to Nala. "He is beautiful," she said.

Nala's smile widened. Sarabi looked around at Simba, who was grinning widely, his chest swollen with pride. "He looks just like you did when you were a cub."

Simba's eyes sparkled. Nala chuckled and added, "And he'll probably be just as mischievous."

Simba tried – and failed – to look offended. Nala and Sarabi laughed warmly. And little Kopa lay snoozing in his mother's paws, not hearing a word of what they said about him.

(Some time later)

Rafiki presented the cub at sunrise a week later, the day his eyes opened to the world around him. Lifted into the air by the elderly yet strong baboon, Kopa gazed wide-eyed at his father's kingdom. All the animals of the Pride Lands – giraffes, hippos, zebras, elephants, antelope, and countless others – had come to witness the dawning of a new generation. On either side of Rafiki, Simba and Nala stood tall and proud, the breeze ruffling Simba's mane. On his other side, Timon and Pumbaa watched the ceremony, there by the king's request, the first meerkat and warthog to ever stand atop Pride Rock.

Rafiki lowered Kopa and cradled him in his arms, turning his back to the rows of bowing animals on the plains below. "One day," he whispered softly to the cub, "you will be king of all of this."

Kopa blinked, not understanding the wise baboon's words. Simba smiled and nuzzled his cub lovingly.

The Circle of Life would continue.


	3. Chapter 2: Pouncing Lessons

Chapter Two

Pouncing Lessons

Simba was roused from sleep much earlier than he'd have liked by a voice calling in his ear, "Dad! Dad! Come on, Dad! Dad dad dad dad dad dad!"

He opened one eye blearily and saw Kopa pawing his mane, brown eyes imploring him to rise. Simba looked over to the entrance of the den, one eye still closed, and groaned. "Kopa," he said groggily, closing his other eye, "the sun hasn't even come up yet."

But Kopa wasn't giving up so easily. "Come on, Dad. You promised."

Simba sighed. Rafiki had lectured him once before about the importance of keeping a promise, and he knew Kopa wasn't going to let him forget it in a hurry. So he slowly got to his feet, stretched, yawned…and flopped back to the cave floor.

"Da-ad!"

One of the lionesses moaned, and Simba, more to keep Kopa from waking anyone than anything else, said, "I know, son. Wait for me outside. I'll be out in a minute."

Kopa turned and ran for the exit. Simba sighed and tried to stand again. This time, he managed to follow his excited son onto the cliff of Pride Rock.

"Okay, Kopa. You ready for those pouncing lessons?" Simba asked.

Kopa replied with a "Yeah!" and wrapped himself once around his father's front right leg. Simba chuckled.

Kopa led the way down to the plains below, bounding energetically from stone step to stone step as his father slowly ambled behind him. The sun had just started to rise now, and Simba watched his son in the soft light with warm love in his heart.

_He looks just like you did when you were a cub, _Sarabi had said, and it was still true. Kopa was the spitting image of Simba. They had the same eyes, the same fur, even the same voice. The only difference was a tuft of brown hair on the top of Kopa's head, the early beginnings of a mane. Kopa had been thrilled to no end when he'd discovered it. "I'm almost old enough to be king!" he'd said excitedly. Simba had only been able to shake his head in amused disbelief.

Now they had reached an area of the Pride Lands that was clear except for grass that reached up to Simba's belly. It concealed Kopa completely, which is why it was perfect for pouncing lessons. "All right, son," Simba said. "The first thing to remember about pouncing is to never let your target know you're there. Keep absolutely silent. If they even suspect you're around, they'll have the advantage. But if they don't, you'll have the upper hand and a better chance of success."

Kopa listened, nodding, drinking every word his father said. Next, Simba showed him how to keep himself low to the ground and how to sneak soundlessly through the brush. And all the while, Simba remembered how his own father, Mufasa, had shown him all this so long ago.

_Too bad Zazu couldn't be here_, he thought, grinning at the memory of the squawk Zazu had made when Simba had pounced on him.

"Okay," said Simba, nodding at a lizard that had crawled on a rock nearby, "let's see how you do on the first try."

Kopa nodded excitedly and crouched down, moving stealthily through the grass. Once or twice he stepped on twigs and froze as the lizard looked around, concerned. Then…

"Yah!"

Kopa pounced and hit the rock head-first. The lizard scampered away as the young cub teetered on his hind legs and fell on his back.

"Kopa!" Simba cried, rushing forward as his son rose unsteadily to his feet, shaking his head vigorously as if trying to clear it. "Kopa, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, Dad," Kopa replied, taking a few steps toward his father. "Guess I need a little more practice, huh?"

Simba chuckled with relief. "Yeah, just a little. Okay, this time, try pouncing on me."

"But you'll know I'm coming!" Kopa said, frowning.

"I'll pretend I don't," Simba replied. Anything to stop Kopa from hurting himself again. He settled onto a clear patch of land, surrounded by the tall grass and a good distance from any rock.

"Well, okay," Kopa said, shrugging, and he retreated into the brush. Silence fell. Simba waited patiently for his son to pounce. And waited. And waited.

He heard Kopa leap a second before the cub yelled, "Gotcha!" Simba ducked, and Kopa soared right over his head, landing on all fours a few feet away. He turned back, looking slightly disappointed. "Or not," he sighed, and then added hopefully, "But I was closer that time."

Simba chuckled and nodded. "Try again."

Kopa vanished once more, and Simba relaxed, waiting. And waiting. And waiting. And waiting. A minute passed. Two minutes. Five. And still he waited, growing more concerned and worried by the second.

"Kopa?" he called out, standing up and looking around. "Son, where are you?"

He turned around on the spot, scanning the grass for any sign of Kopa and finding none. His heart thudded in his chest as concern quickly mounted to panic. If something had happened to him, if something had taken his son…

"Ah-ha!"

Kopa landed squarely on his father's back. Simba yelped and half-whirled, losing his balance and falling with a soft "Oof!" as he hit the ground. Kopa rolled off of him, laughing so hard he was crying.

Simba, heart still thumping wildly, got shakily to his feet. "Kopa," he scolded, "you scared me! I was beginning to think something had gotten you!"

But Kopa was still laughing, and Simba found that he couldn't stay angry for long. Soon, he had joined in.

"I got you that time!" Kopa said, finally calming down long enough to speak.

"Yeah, you did," Simba admitted. Then he added, "But now I've got you!"

Kopa's laughter turned abruptly to squeals as Simba began tickling his belly with his muzzle. "Dad, no! Don't! Stop!"

"Don't stop?" Simba said slyly. "Okay."

He tickled harder. Tears rolled down Kopa's cheeks again as the thrashed about, trying in vain to escape, laughing and squealing too much to say anything more.

Finally, Simba relented, and Kopa slumped, panting. "No…fair!" he gasped. But he was still grinning.

Simba chuckled and settled himself down beside his son. Kopa snuggled up close to his father and sighed contentedly. Simba closed his eyes and relaxed, enjoying the breeze that played with his mane and whispered through the grass.

"I love you, Dad," Kopa said softly.

Simba's heart swelled with joy and pride. "I love you too, Kopa." He nuzzled the tuft of brown hair on his head teasingly.

"Sire!"

Simba looked up to see Zazu the hornbill swooping down towards them. He looked troubled. "What's the matter, Zazu?"

"Sire, it's your mother!" Zazu replied, and Simba's heart sank. "She's not doing well at all. You'd better come at once!"


	4. Chapter 3: The Circle of Life

Chapter Three

The Circle of Life

"Kopa, get on my back," Simba commanded, all traces of laughter gone.

Kopa obeyed at once, scrambling up his father's side and straddling him. Simba stood up and began to run back toward Pride Rock. The cub struggled to hold on, biting Simba's mane so that he wasn't jolted off. But he didn't ask for him to slow down; Grandma Sarabi was sick – they had to get back!

Simba reached Pride Rock in a matter of minutes, crouched long enough for Kopa to slide off, and then both lions climbed onto the ledge and entered the den.

Sarabi was lying in a far corner, surrounded by the other lionesses. Her eyes were closed, and her breathing seemed slow and labored. All of the lionesses seemed deeply worried. No one moved or spoke.

Nala looked up as Simba and Kopa entered, and Simba could see the tears brimming in his mate's eyes. He nuzzled her comfortingly as Kopa ran up to Sarabi and said, "Grandma? Are you okay?"

Sarabi opened her eyes and smiled weakly. "Yes, Kopa. I'm all right."

Kopa settled himself right next to his grandmother and asked, "Are you sick?"

Sarabi chuckled and licked Kopa's cheek. "No, honey, I'm not sick. It's just my time, that's all."

"Your time?" Kopa said, frowning.

"My time to rejoin Mufasa and the other Great Kings," Sarabi explained, then added when Kopa's expression didn't change, "My time to die."

"No!" Kopa cried, confusion turning to fear and pain. "No, you can't die, Grandma!"

"Everyone dies eventually, Kopa," Sarabi said patiently. "I've lived a good, long life, and it's time for me to move on." She nuzzled her grandson. "It's all part of the great Circle of Life. Someday you'll understand."

Kopa started to cry. "But…but Grandma…" he whimpered, "I don't want you to die!"

Simba, who had been watching all this with a heavy heart, now felt it miss a beat as his son spoke those words. Fighting back his tears, he approached his mother. Sarabi looked up at him, smiled, and said, "Simba, my son. I am so proud of you."

"Mother…" Simba knelt down and nuzzled Sarabi's cheek. "I love you, Mother."

"And I love you, dear son," Sarabi said. "You have proven yourself to be a worthy king and a devoted father. You'll be fine."

Simba didn't know what to say. A lone tear spilled, dribbling down his cheek. "Oh, Mother…" He rubbed his head against hers as Kopa continued to cry, his face buried in her neck.

(Some time later)

Sarabi, the former Queen of the Pride Lands, died that evening. When her spirit finally left her body, Simba walked out onto the ledge of Pride Rock and let out a roar of grief. Kopa sat beside him, tears flowing freely down his face, as slowly, the animals of the Pride Lands began to gather to mourn the death of their former queen.

There was a grand funeral the next morning. Everyone in the Pride Lands turned up to pay their final respects to Sarabi, who even now was united at last with Mufasa in the skies above.

After-wards, when all the animals had returned to their respective places and the lions had gone back to their den, Kopa approached Simba and asked, "Dad, why did Grandma have to die?"

Simba looked up and pondered for a moment. He finally said, "Let's take a walk."

He stood up and led his son down to the plains. They began walking aimlessly, no destination in mind, as Simba considered how best to explain this to Kopa, who walked sadly alongside him, not saying a word.

Finally, Simba said, "Kopa, death is a natural part of life. Everything dies eventually, the grass, the trees, the bugs, the antelope…even lions."

Kopa looked up at his father, listening raptly.

"One day, son," Simba continued, "I will die, too. And when I do, you will take my place as king. You need to understand this, Kopa. We are a part of the Circle of Life."

A breeze ruffled his mane, and he remembered the day when his own father had told him this years ago. It had been such a long time, yet he remembered it as though it had been yesterday.

"_Everything you see exists together in a delicate balance. As king, you need to understand that balance and respect all the creatures, from the crawling ant to the leaping antelope."_

"_But Dad, don't we eat the antelope?"_

"_Yes, Simba, but let me explain. When we die, our bodies become the grass. And the antelope eat the grass. And so we are all connected in the great…"_

"…Circle of Life," Simba finished reciting his father's words.

Kopa was gazing at him, a confused frown creasing his forehead. Simba sighed. "Grandma Sarabi's death is just a natural part of this circle," he explained. "Just as you are. Someday, son, you'll understand."


	5. Chapter 4: Vitani

Chapter Four

Vitani

In time, the pride recovered from Sarabi's death and moved on. Kopa took it the hardest, moping around for days on end. It got to a point that Simba and Nala began to worry for his well-being. But soon, he became more playful, and he was back to normal a few days later.

It was a warm, sunny afternoon. Simba and Kopa were playing and working on the cub's pounce. He was getting better every day. So far he'd managed to get his father six times, along with two lizards, three grasshoppers, and one beetle.

"Okay, Kopa, try to get me again," Simba instructed. "But this time, I'm going to be on the lookout for you."

Kopa nodded and disappeared into the grass. Simba watched him go, perking his ears, listening for even the slightest sound to indicate where his son was.

"Sire!"

Simba looked up.

"Gotcha!"

Kopa pounced and landed on Simba's back. Simba yelped in surprise but didn't fall this time as Kopa slid down off his back, laughing at his success. Simba chuckled good-naturedly and turned to Zazu, who had landed nearby. "What is it, Zazu?" he asked.

"Sire, there's a situation down at the water hole," Zazu said. "The hippos want to use it, but they're so dirty that it's making the water quite disgusting, and none of the other creatures want to drink from it. It looks like things may get violent if it continues."

Simba sighed. "There's always something. All right, Zazu, I'll take care of it. In the meantime, watch over Kopa for me."

"Aw, Dad…" Kopa groaned. "Can't I come with you?"

"No, son," Simba replied, smiling slightly. "Play with Zazu. I'll be back shortly."

Simba walked away, and Kopa sighed. "Now now, young Prince," Zazu said. "Your father is the king, and he has his duties."

"I know," Kopa mumbled. Then his face brightened. "Hey, Dad's been teaching me how to pounce. Wanna see?"

Zazu gulped. "Um…sure," he said nervously. "Is there a…a lizard or something for you to pounce on?"

Kopa looked around. "I don't see one," he said. Then he looked up, and his face lit up with excitement. "Look! Over there!"

Zazu turned. "Where? I don't – _awk_!"

Kopa pounced while Zazu was looking the other way and landed on top of him. He got up, laughing while the hornbill groaned. "Like father like son," he muttered.

Kopa, still chuckling, turned around. "Hey Zazu, who's that?"

"Oh no, I'm not falling for that again," Zazu said, standing up and brushing himself off. "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice…"

"No, really," Kopa interrupted. "Over there. I think it's another lion."

At this, Zazu spread his wings and flew into the air. He looked in the direction Kopa was gazing and indeed saw another lion cub relaxing in the sun.

"Oh, that's Vitani," Zazu said, landing next to Kopa. "Zira's daughter, I believe."

"All right!" Kopa cried. He hadn't known of any other cubs his age in the Pride Lands. Maybe he and Vitani could be friends. He took off in her direction, leaving a bewildered Zazu in the dust.

"Young Prince, wait!" Zazu squawked, taking flight, but Kopa ignored him.

"Hi," he said as he approached Vitani, slowing to a walk.

Vitani turned, and Kopa froze. She was young, around his age, maybe a little older, and very pretty. Her fur was a beautiful golden-tan color, and her eyes…they captivated him…

"I…I'm Kopa," said the dumbstruck cub.

"I'm Vitani," said the second, who seemed just as taken aback as Kopa. "What are you doing here?"

"I saw you over here and wondered if you wanted to play," Kopa said, quickly recovering from whatever force that had stunned him a moment ago.

Vitani smiled shyly and said, "Okay."

Zazu watched the exchange from the air, wondering whether he should fetch Simba or not. He was tempted to, but that would mean leaving Kopa unguarded. Simba would be furious. So he settled on a nearby rock to watch as the two cubs began to play.

(Present day)

"I haven't been that indecisive for years," Zazu said, sighing. "Forcing myself to sit and wait was the hardest thing to do."

Simba nodded. "I'm glad you did," he said. "You're right, I would have been very upset if you'd left Kopa alone."

The sun had fully risen now, and the animals of the Pride Lands were roaming and going about their daily activities. Zazu had arrived to deliver the morning report, but he'd heard Kopa's name as he was landing and, unwilling to interrupt the story, hadn't mentioned anything. When Simba had reached the part about leaving Kopa in Zazu's care, the hornbill had gladly taken up the tale, even reliving the pouncing trick with a sad smile.

Kiara, who hadn't said a word throughout the story, now asked, "Vitani? Our Vitani?"

Simba nodded. "Yes. Kopa met the same Vitani that now belongs in our pride. Your sister," he added to Kovu.

Kovu looked surprised. "She never mentioned him. Not that I can recall. I never even knew that Kopa existed until this morning."

"Kopa?"

Everyone turned to the den's entrance to see Vitani herself standing there. Her blue eyes were wide with surprise.

"Do you remember him?" Simba asked gently.

Vitani nodded slowly. "I…I haven't thought about him for years," she said. "I'd forgotten…"

Another emotion was creeping into her eyes: pain. Tears welled up and started to spill. Nala approached her and rubbed her head against her shoulder comfortingly.

"I…I'm sorry," Vitani gasped. "It's just that…I remember him. I remember how we used to play. He was so sweet…so sweet…"

(Flashback)

Kopa and Vitani had been playing for almost an hour when Simba returned. He looked weary; no doubt the hippos had given him a hard time.

"Sire!" Zazu called, taking flight upon seeing Simba approach. "We're over here!"

Simba headed towards them, then froze when he saw Vitani. She and Kopa both looked up, and Kopa called, "Hey Dad!" and bounded up to him.

Simba relaxed and grinned as his son reached him. "Hi, Kopa," he said, nuzzling the cub. "Sorry I took so long."

"It's okay," Kopa replied. "I made a new friend. This is Vitani."

Simba looked up at her and smiled warmly. "Hello, Vitani. How are you?"

"I'm fine," Vitani replied, grinning shyly.

"We have to be going," Simba said to Kopa.

"Aw, Dad…"

"Come on, son," Simba said patiently. "Maybe you can see Vitani tomorrow."

"Okay," Kopa agreed. Then he called, "See you tomorrow, Vitani."

"Bye," Vitani replied.

Simba and Kopa turned to go, but Simba hesitated. Looking back, he said, "And tell your mother that you are all welcome to come back to Pride Rock. There are no hard feelings."

Vitani nodded and watched as Simba and Kopa walked away into the setting sun.


	6. Chapter 5: Zira's Rage

Chapter Five

Zira's Rage

Under the shade of a large tree towards the northern border of the Pride Lands, Zira lay in a relaxed position, cradling her youngest cub in her front paws. The dark-furred baby was sleeping peacefully, his tiny side rising and falling in rhythm to his deep breathing.

"Oh, Kovu," Zira purred, "one day, you will be king instead of Simba. I promise you that."

She felt the familiar rage boiling within her and looked up. She could just make out the contours of Pride Rock in the distance. Simba would be there, along with his precious mate and spoiled brat cub. "Scar, your kingdom is falling to ruin," she murmured.

She remembered that night clearly. The same evening that Scar had declared to her, "The next male cub born from you shall be my heir to the throne." The night Simba had killed her beloved.

After the big fight and the raging fire had both been extinguished, she had sneaked to the base of Pride Rock, fearful of what she'd find. And sure enough, there Scar had lain. Or what was left of him. The hyenas had stripped him of most of his meat, leaving behind a bloody, barely recognizable corpse.

She had cried then, she remembered. She had mourned their fallen king, with Nuka and Vitani right beside her. And then Simba had taken his place, as if Simba could ever equal her Scar. He had tried to reconcile, but she would have none of it. She would never be associated with the murdering traitor. She had taken her cubs and the few lionesses who, like her, had favored Scar's reign and left Pride Rock to live as far away from Simba as possible. Once or twice, she had even considered moving into the Outlands. But even with the hyenas gone, there was barely any food or water out there. As much as she hated its ruler, the Pride Lands were better for raising her cubs. So she'd had to deal with Simba for the past several years, bitterly adhering to his reign.

"But don't worry, my little one," she said to the sleeping Kovu. "Your time will come. The sun will set on Simba's time and rise on yours."

She heard footsteps and looked up to see Nuka, her oldest son, approaching.

Nuka stopped in front of Zira and glanced once at the cub in her paws with obvious distaste. Then he returned his gaze to his mother's eyes and said, "Vitani is on her way back."

"Thank you, Nuka," Zira said.

Nuka turned and walked away without another word.

Poor dear, Zira thought. He thought he was going to be the next king. He was Scar's son. It was a natural thing to assume. But…

She looked down at Kovu. "This is our chosen king," she whispered to herself.

How could she betray Scar's wishes just so that Nuka could have a moment of glory? It was downright blasphemous. No, it wouldn't happen. Kovu would be king, not Nuka.

"Hello, Mother."

Zira looked up. Vitani was standing in front of her, grinning and looking happier than Zira had seen her in a long time.

Vitani knelt down and said, "Aw…look at you, Kovu. You're so cute! You're going to be a real handsome lion someday."

She licked her brother's cheek, and the cub opened his eyes blearily, gazing around in bemused wonder.

Zira couldn't help but smile, too. "Oh my precious Kovu," she sighed.

Vitani stood up and stretched her front legs. "My dear daughter," Zira said, "what have you been up to today?"

Vitani blinked. "Up to, Mother?"

"Yes," Zira said. She was smiling, but there was a dark suspicion in her eyes. "You're a great deal happier than you have been lately, and I somehow doubt that it's due to the weather."

Vitani shrugged. "It's nothing, Mother. I'm just…happy."

But Vitani was a bad liar, and Zira knew it.

"Tani, dear," Zira said, using her sweetest, deadliest voice, "you're not telling me the truth. What has made you so giddy?"

Vitani hesitated, then said, "I met another lion cub today. We played for a while. He's really nice, Mother. I think we'll be good friends."

Zira's smile slipped slightly. "Another lion cub?" she asked. "A Pride Lander?"

Vitani nodded warily. "Yes, I think so, Mother."

"What was his name?" Zira prodded.

_Uh-oh_, Vitani thought. She took a deep mental breath and said, "His name is Kopa."

The reaction was immediate. Zira sprang to her feet, a snarl of rage replacing her sinister smile, an enraged growl escaping her throat. Kovu let out a squeak of alarm, and Vitani took a hasty step backward.

"Kopa!" Zira shrieked. "Simba's son!"

Vitani, shaking from head to foot, nodded in fear.

Zira roared, a deep guttural sound that was laced with the deepest menace imaginable. "No!" she screamed. "I will not permit it! You will not go near that cub! What have I told you, Vitani! Have I taught you nothing! What did I tell you about them! Who is our enemy? _Who – killed – Scar!_"

Vitani collapsed in fright, staring up at her mother with wide, terrified eyes. "I'm sorry, Mother!" she cried, tears starting to spill from her eyes. "I'm sorry…I'm sorry…"

Zira's breathing slowly calmed and returned to normal. She returned to her lazy position and cradled the frightened Kovu in her paws. "You are forbidden from seeing that cub again," she said in a calm tone that threatened violence with every syllable. "Do you understand me?"

Vitani rose to her feet, head bowed, tears still flowing, and replied, "Yes, Mother."

But she had no intention of keeping that promise.


	7. Chapter 6: Seeds of Romance

Chapter Six

Seeds of Romance

Kopa yawned, bored. It was a new morning and the sun was shining once again on the Pride Lands. He wanted to go out and play, but his mother was out hunting and his father was sleeping late, and Kopa had been told not to disturb him. So he was stuck on the ledge of Pride Rock, rolling his eyes as he listened to Timon and Pumbaa arguing about the best place to find bugs in the Pride Lands.

"There's a smorgasbord over by the water hole!" Timon was saying. "It's the best place to find 'em! They're everywhere!"

"Yeah, but all the birds go there too!" Pumbaa argued. "And they can get really mean! There's a bunch of dead trees over on the eastern border that's just as good, and without any birds!"

"That's because those bugs are sour!" Timon retorted.

Kopa moaned and stood up. Maybe there was a lizard he could practice his pouncing on or something. Anything was better that listening to the meerkat and warthog argue all day.

Then he saw something that made his ears perk. "Vitani!" he called, and he bounded down the stone steps to the plains below.

Vitani was waiting for him at the base of Pride Rock. "Hey, Kopa," she said, smiling.

"Hey, it's great to see you!" Kopa said excitedly. "Wanna play?"

Vitani's smile faltered. "Kopa…I can't," she said sadly. "Mother won't let me."

Kopa was stunned. "Zira won't let you play with me?" he said, dumbfounded. "Why?"

"Because she's still angry that Scar was killed," Vitani replied glumly. "She thinks your dad is the enemy."

Kopa didn't know what to say. "My…my dad's not…"

"I know that," Vitani said, and she rubbed her head against Kopa's. "And I still want to be your friend. We just can't play in the daytime." Her eyes took on a mischievous glint. "But when Mother goes to sleep at night, we can do whatever we want."

Kopa blinked and slowly smiled as the reality of what Vitani said sank in. "That would be awesome," he said.

"Great," Vitani purred. "I'll be back tonight. I better go now, before Mother finds out where I've gone. See you, Kopa."

"Bye, Vitani."

Vitani turned and ran in the direction of the northern border. She was soon out of sight, and Kopa returned to the den. He'd need to get plenty of rest if he was going to be up all night with her.

(Present day)

"It was the most daring thing I'd ever done," Vitani sighed. "I relished it. I was rebelling against my mother, like I'd always wanted to."

She had stopped crying to tell her part of the tale. Nala sat beside her, listening raptly. Timon and Pumbaa had joined the group, and Timon's Ma and Uncle Max, who were visiting the Pride Lands from their Hakuna Matata paradise, were there as well. The four of them all looked deeply depressed. All eyes were on Vitani as she looked up at Simba, who was watching her expressionlessly.

"I guess it's just as much my fault as anyone else's," Vitani said, eyeing Simba for any hint of anger.

Simba just sighed and said, "It's no more your fault than mine." He looked out over the Pride Lands and added, "If I'd been a better father, then maybe…"

"Simba, don't say that," Nala interrupted gently. "You were a fine father to Kopa. He loved you and looked up to you. It wasn't your fault."

Simba shook his head. "No. If I'd been a better father, I would have seen it coming. I would have known that something was going to happen, and I could have prevented it…"

(Flashback)

Kopa lay beside his father on the grassy plains, gazing up at the stars above. "Dad, remember that time when those vultures kidnapped me, and you came and rescued me?"

Simba said, "Yes, I remember. You were looking for our family tree, if I recall correctly."

"Yeah. No one told me it wasn't a real tree," Kopa replied. Then he added, "Hey, that one looks like a zebra!" pointing a paw at a constellation.

Simba chuckled. "It sure does, son," he said.

"Dad, is it true that all the Great Kings of the past are up there?" Kopa asked.

Simba replied, "Yes, Kopa. All the good kings that ever lived. My father is up there, too."

"And Grandma Sarabi?" Kopa said.

"Yes, Grandma Sarabi, too," said Simba, turning his head to look at Kopa. "And someday, son, when you are the king, I will be up there, watching over you. I'll always be with you."

Kopa rolled onto his belly and pressed himself to his father. "Is this about the Circle of Life again?" he asked.

"Yes, Kopa," Simba said. "It is."

"I still don't understand," Kopa sighed.

Simba chuckled. "You will someday, son. Someday."

He heard footsteps and looked around to see Nala approaching. She smiled at her mate and son and said, "Come on, you two. It's time for bed."

Simba and Kopa both stood up, and the family returned to Pride Rock together. Kopa settled himself between his parents once they reached the den and said, "Good night, Mom. Good night, Dad."

Simba and Nala both nuzzled him, said, "Good night, Kopa," and lay their heads down to sleep.

About ten minutes later, when Kopa was sure they were asleep, he stood up and tiptoed to the den entrance. He bounded down to the plains, where he saw Vitani waiting for him. She was smiling with excitement. "Let's go!" she said, and the two cubs ran frolicking into the night.

(Some time later)

Kopa and Vitani continued to sneak out at night for several months, and neither Kopa's parents nor Vitani's mother knew about it. They took periodic naps during the day to make up for lost rest, and if the adults found this strange, they didn't comment. The two cubs became close friends and dreaded the moments they'd have to part.

Then, one night, as the two were wrestling, they rolled over the crest of a hill and found themselves tumbling to the base, laughing all the way. Vitani landed on her back, and Kopa landed right on top of her. Their noses touched, and their laughter died immediately. Their eyes flew open in surprise as strange yet wonderful sensations formed in the pits of their stomachs and filled their very souls.

Then Kopa backed up, chuckling nervously. Vitani stood up and approached him, her eyes filled with uncertainty.

She licked Kopa's cheek.

Kopa suddenly felt like he was floating on the clouds, as if gravity had no pull on him. His heart leaped and pounded rapidly, and his breathing became rapid and shallow.

Vitani was the first to put these new emotions to words. "I love you, Kopa."

Kopa smiled warmly and nuzzled her as he replied, "I love you too, Vitani."

(Present day)

"Love is the most powerful force on this planet," said Rafiki sagely. He had joined the group congregated on Pride Rock as Vitani had been talking about her late-night adventures with Kopa. "Without love, there is nothing."

Kovu nodded, and Kiara rubbed her head against his, smiling slightly. Simba caught Nala's eye and grinned sadly, and Nala returned it, tears welling in her eyes again.

Vitani sighed. "I know," she said. "And I truly loved him. I used to dream of him while I slept. I dreamed that we grew up together and started our own pride. They…they were wonderful dreams…"

A lone tear slid down her cheek.

"And then…_that_ happened. That horrible night. I can remember it clearly. Somehow, I think I knew, the moment my mother caught me, that I was never going to see Kopa again…"


	8. Chapter 7: Scar Avenged

Chapter Seven

Scar Avenged

Night had fallen once again, and Vitani waited until she knew the other lionesses were asleep before standing and sneaking in the direction of Pride Rock. She wanted to run, to go at full speed until she reached her Kopa. But she had to be patient. Any sound might disturb one of the lionesses, and Vitani didn't even want to think about what her mother would say if she was caught sneaking out.

Once she was sure she'd put enough distance between herself and her family, Vitani broke into a run at last. _I'm coming, Kopa! _she thought. _I'm coming to you! We'll have the whole night to ourse—_

A dark shape leaped in front of her, and she gasped, skidding to a halt before her mother, Zira.

"Vitani!" she growled. "What are you doing? Why aren't you at home and sleeping like a good little cub?"

Vitani, terror and dread quickly replacing her joy, stammered, "Mother! I, um…well, I was, uh…you know, just…"

"Going to visit someone, were you?" Zira snarled. "A little cub by the name of Kopa, perhaps?"

Vitani's heart came to a standstill. "N-no! No, Mother!" she said too quickly. "I was just, uh…going for a walk."

"Don't lie to me!" Zira snapped. "I know what you're up to. Go back to bed, and if you ever try to sneak off again, you'll be very sorry indeed."

Vitani had no choice but to turn around and head back home, her head hung low and eyes threatening tears. Zira watched her go, her rage slowly cooling down to a simmer.

"Insolent little brat," she muttered to herself. "Off to see that cub. His royal highness." She spat the last few words as if they tasted bitter. She began to follow her daughter back, but then she froze, her eyes wide with realization.

Vitani had been going to see Kopa, Simba's son, she was sure of it.

Kopa, who was probably waiting for Vitani to show up.

Alone.

An evil grin slowly spread across her face. "Oh, Scar," she whispered, "now I know how to avenge you."

(Meanwhile…)

Kopa sneaked out from the den while his parents lay sleeping on tiptoe, only breaking into a run once he was on the ground. He was elated, and only part of it had to do with seeing Vitani again.

He replayed the events of that afternoon in his head as he ran:

"_Kopa," said Simba. "Could you come here for a moment?"_

_Kopa jogged over to where his parents were sitting and looked up at them expectantly._

"_Son," said Simba, "how would you feel about having…a sibling?"_

_Kopa blinked. "A sibling?"_

"_A brother or sister," Nala explained, smiling slightly. _

_Kopa grinned. "That would be cool," he said. Then his eyes widened as he fully comprehended what they were saying. "Do you mean…?"_

"_Yes," said Simba, chuckling. "We're going to have another cub."_

"_Woo-hoo!" Kopa cried, leaping into the air. "I'm gonna be a big brother! Yay!"_

_Simba and Nala laughed at their son's enthusiasm. "I told you he'd be happy," Nala said, and Simba nuzzled her fondly. _

"_When?" Kopa asked, ignoring his parents' brief exchange. "How soon?"_

"_It'll be a few months, honey," Nala replied, still smiling. _

"_Ya-hoo!" Kopa cried. "All right! I'm gonna be a big brother!"_

"I'm gonna be a big brother," he said to himself as he ran, the joy he'd felt that afternoon returning full-force. He couldn't wait to tell Vitani. What would she think of it?

He reached the water hole, the spot they'd chosen as their meeting place. Vitani wasn't there yet, but that didn't bother him; she'd been late before. So he sat down to wait.

And he waited. And waited. And waited. And waited.

Slowly, his joy began to ebb, replaced by confusion and worry. Where was she? She'd never kept him waiting this long. Had something happened to her?

A twig snapped in the brush nearby, and Kopa gasped and whirled around. He saw no one, but he had the strange feeling that someone was watching him.

"H-hello?" he called, trying to sound braver than he felt.

There was no answer.

Now fear was starting to creep in, and Kopa started looking around nervously. "Vitani?" he whispered. "Are you there?"

A soft chuckle rose from somewhere in the darkness, and the hairs of Kopa's growing mane stood on end. His heart thudded painfully fast in his chest. A faint whimper escaped his throat.

"Why hello, Kopa."

Kopa jumped and wheeled around. A lioness had emerged from the brush behind him, grinning at him with sharp, deadly teeth, her eyes glinting and flashing in the moonlight.

Kopa recognized her. "Zira!" he gasped.

"Now what is a young lion cub such as yourself doing out here on your own at this time of night?" Zira asked casually, taking a step closer to Kopa, who in turn took a hasty step backward.

"I, uh…couldn't sleep," Kopa said, his voice higher than usual, "so I thought I'd, uh…take a walk."

"I see," said Zira. She was smiling, but Kopa detected a note of malice in her voice. He gulped.

"Well, uh…I'm feeling pretty tired now," he lied; in reality, he was wide awake. "I guess I'd better be heading back."

He turned to leave.

Without warning, he felt razor-sharp claws slash across his back, tearing his skin and drawing blood. Kopa screamed in terror and pain as the blow sent him flying to the left. He landed with a soft _thud _and moaned. Looking up, he saw Zira crouching, preparing to pounce. "At last, my dear Scar," she sighed, "you will have your revenge."

Panic licked at Kopa's insides as he stood shakily to his feet. He knew Zira meant to kill him, and that she would not rest until she had succeeded. He had to return to Pride Rock immediately and wake his father. He would know what to do.

Kopa started to run. Zira pounced and missed, but she was soon right behind her target, and she was considerably faster than the wounded cub. "Mom!" Kopa screamed as he swerved to avoid Zira's next attack. "Dad! Help me! Somebody! Anybody! HELP!"

"There's no one to hear you scream, Kopa!" Zira snarled.

Kopa darted to the right and nearly fell, just managing to stay upright. Behind him, Zira had to skid to take the turn and fell slightly behind. Kopa cried out in pain and forced his little legs to drive him even faster. His heart was pounding, fit to burst. His lungs were burning so much that it hurt to breathe. His paws and legs felt like they were being stung by a thousand bees. Blood poured in large rivulets down his heaving sides, leaving a trail behind him as he ran. But he didn't slow down. He couldn't, or he would be killed for sure.

Kopa saw a rock formation looming up ahead and leapt for it. He started climbing frantically as Zira caught up with him. She slashed at him again, and her claw caught his left rear leg. Kopa screamed, "Mom! Dad! Help me! Please! Someone help me!"

He managed to somehow reach the top of the ledge and kept running, now with a heavy limp. He heard Zira snarling in frustration as she struggled to climb the precipice, and Kopa seized the opportunity to hide in the tall grass, knowing that he didn't have the strength or the speed to outrun the hunter. He tried to silence his breathing as he heard her pounding footsteps draw closer. They drew level with his hiding place, passed him…and then stopped dead.

Kopa fought back a whimper. The silence was so absolute that he was sure she'd hear his frantic heartbeat. Neither of them moved or made a sound, and Kopa knew that if he did, even a moan of pain, it would be the end of him. It would all be over.

"Where are you, little prince?" Zira growled. "I can smell your blood. I know you're hiding here somewhere. Show yourself, and I promise, I'll make it quick and painless. Come on, Kopa, I don't have time for games. Come out. Come on out and _play_!"

Kopa took a tiny step backward, thinking hard. He knew that Zira wasn't going to move on until she'd found him. His only hope was to try to sneak away, but he had to do it silently. If she even heard a twig snap under his weight, she'd have him.

Kopa turned slowly, taking care not to disturb a stone on the ground in front of him and hoping she couldn't hear his blood dripping to the earth. Another step. And another. And another…

Then his side brushed against a stalk of grass, and it rustled slightly, as if in a breeze.

Zira pounced. Kopa took off again, tears mingling with his sweat and blood as he ran for his life.

Then he tripped and stumbled, fighting to keep his balance, and in the second it took for him to regain control, Zira's claw slashed him again. He cried out in pain and collapsed a few feet away. He looked around and saw Zira crouching, preparing to spring. He tried to stand, but sheer exhaustion and blood loss wouldn't let him.

"Why, Zira?" he whimpered, his teary eyes wide with fear. "What did I ever do to you?"

Zira smiled cruelly. "It's just the fact that you exist," she purred. "Nothing personal."

Kopa tried to stand again and failed. "Please, Zira…" he begged. "Please, don't kill me…"

Zira tensed, poised to attack.

"Please…no…"

Zira pounced.

"MOM! DAD! HELP MEEEEE!"

(Some time later)

Simba woke with a start, breathing heavily and looking wildly around. Beside him, Nala opened one eye blearily. "Simba?" she asked. "Are you all right?"

Simba turned to her, his eyes wide with a fear she'd never seen there before. "Where's Kopa?"

Suddenly wide awake, Nala twisted her head around, studying the den. "Kopa? Kopa!"

She and Simba stood up, searching the cave frantically. Their calls roused the other lionesses, and they started mumbling in confusion.

Simba and Nala's gazes met.

"Do you feel it?" Nala asked, her voice filled with urgent terror.

Simba didn't need to ask what she meant. The nameless certainty and fear was lapping at his heart and soul. He nodded.

"Kopa's missing!" he called to the others. "Nala and I are going to search for him! If Zazu shows up, send him after us!"

Without waiting for a reply, they took off. The sun was just starting to rise over the horizon, throwing a pink glow over the Pride Lands.

"Nala, you head east and ask anyone you meet if they've seen him," Simba instructed hurriedly. "If he's not there, head south. I'll send Zazu west if I see him. I'll check the northern border."

"Do you think he went into the Outlands?" Nala asked, fear etched all over her beautiful face.

"I hope not," Simba replied, and he bounded away, calling Kopa's name as he did.

"Sire!"

Simba looked up and saw Zazu soaring overhead. "Kopa's missing!" he called, not slowing his pace. "Go west and search around there! If you don't find him, join Nala; she's searching the east and south borders!"

Zazu nodded and turned around, flying at full speed to the west. Simba kept running. _Oh, Kopa, _he thought, _please be okay, please be all right!_

He reached a grassy knoll and stopped on the summit, scanning the savanna for any sign of his cub. His eyes fell on a large rock not too far away.

And on the gold-and-red lump that lay upon it.

"No…" Simba whispered. "Kopa!"

He ran to the rock and froze a few paces from it, horrified.

His son lay sprawled on the stone, his eyes closed in death. Blood spilled from countless scratches and cuts all over his small body, all of them deep. His sweet face had three narrow gashes running across it, dripping crimson fluid onto the rock he'd been placed on. He was coated in dust, dirt, and sweat, and there was a chunk of fur missing from the tuft on his head. He lay motionless, soundless…lifeless…

Simba tried to move closer but couldn't. He wanted to scoop Kopa into his paws but was utterly unable to move. He opened his mouth to scream but no sound came. He tried to cry but his eyes were dry.

For a moment that stretched into eternity, Simba stared at his son's corpse. Then he threw his head back and let out a roar of fury and anguish the kingdom had never heard before. "Kopa! Kopa! No, my son! My son! You can't be dead! You can't! KOPA! NOOOO!"

In his grief, it took him a moment to notice that the ground had started to shake. When he finally came to the realization, he looked up…and felt his insides shrivel.

A stampede.

A herd of zebra was heading in his direction at full speed. For a moment, Simba's vision blurred and they weren't zebras, they were wildebeests, and he was in the gorge, not on the plains. And it wasn't Kopa lying dead in front of him, but Mufasa…

Then Simba returned to his senses, just in time to turn around and flee.

The moment he started running, tears rolling down his cheeks, he realized what he'd done.

He'd left Kopa's body behind.

But he couldn't go back for it. Not now. All he could do was run…

Then, out of nowhere, a zebra rammed him. Simba yelled, stumbled, and collapsed. He tried to stand, but a hoof struck his head, and the world went black…


	9. Chapter 8: Exiled

Chapter Eight

Exiled

Zira, unseen by the grief-stricken king, watched from a ledge a short distance away. "Now, Nuka, now!" she hissed.

She waited as Simba froze in front of his deceased son. No, things were happening too quickly. What was taking Nuka so long? Simba wasn't supposed to find Kopa until _after _the stampede. If he got too close, if he caught her scent on the cub's body…

Simba roared in agony, and Zira, distressed as she was, couldn't help but feel a smug pleasure at the king's pain. Yes, it had been worth it.

She had ensured that Kopa died a slow, painful death. She could have made it quick by biting his throat, but she'd wanted to see him suffer. And he had, she'd made certain of it. And now poor Simba knew that his precious brat was dead. Perhaps it was better this way. If Simba knew she'd done it, the agony of that knowledge would tear at his heart for the rest of his life. But the stampede – if Nuka would hurry up and start it! – would mask her scent and make Kopa's corpse unrecognizable. Simba would have no proof, and that would make it even worse for him.

She heard the pounding of hundreds of hooves and looked around, smiling to herself as she saw Nuka at last, chasing a herd of zebra directly to where Simba was mourning the death of his son.

She turned and slinked away, and though no one was around to hear her, she said, "Now we're even."

(Some time later)

Simba slowly came to about an hour later to the sound of a familiar voice calling, "Sire? Sire! Simba, wake up!"

Simba opened his eyes and looked around, wincing and moaning in pain at the throbbing in his head. Zazu had landed right next to him, his eyes wide with fear.

"Wha – what happened?" Simba groaned, struggling to his feet and swaying slightly, momentarily dizzy.

"You must have been caught in that stampede," Zazu replied, his beak turned into a worried frown. "You've been out cold for quite a while."

"Stampede?" Simba asked, and then his eyes widened as the memory returned. "Kopa!"

He looked wildly around. "Zazu, find Nala and bring her here now! Kopa…" A lone tear slid down his cheek. "Kopa is dead."

Zazu's mouth opened in shock. Then, as he was trained to do, he said, "Y-yes, Sire, at once," and flew away, leaving a distraught Simba to search for his son's body, fearful of what he might find.

He started back toward the hill where he'd first found Kopa and crested it, scanning the area for any sign of him.

There was none.

"Kopa?" Simba called, not really expecting an answer.

He ran down to the rock where his son's body had been lying an hour before. Kopa was gone, and the only sign he'd been there at all was a pool of blood that trickled down the rock's sides and formed little puddles on the ground.

For a long time, Simba just stared at the stone and Kopa's blood. Then he moaned, "Kopa…oh, my Kopa…" and started to cry.

(Some time later)

Much later that day, Simba and Nala lay in the den, grieving. The king had instructed all the lionesses to form a search party, and they had been looking all morning and afternoon, even skipping their daily hunt to find Kopa's body.

They'd come back without it. Kopa's remains were nowhere to be found in the Pride Lands.

Nala was weeping loudly, tears flowing freely down her face as she moaned, "Kopa…oh my baby…Kopa," over and over again. Simba, whose eyes had finally run dry, tried to comfort her, but there was nothing he could say or do to make her feel better. Their son was dead and, by the looks of things, carried off by some scavenger. There was no solace.

"King Simba?" came a timid voice from the mouth of the den.

Simba and Nala looked up and saw Vitani standing there, worry and fear filling her eyes.

"I…I heard that…that Kopa…" she stammered, "that Kopa is…is gone. Please…please tell me it's not true."

Simba's eyes widened. For a moment, not even a second, it wasn't Vitani he saw, but Zira, her lips curled back in a malicious grin.

The vision passed as quickly as it came.

Simba opened his mouth to answer, but no sound came out. It didn't need to; Nala's renewed sobbing was answer enough.

"Oh no…no!"

Vitani turned and ran from the cave, tears starting to form in her eyes. Simba watched her go, his mind buzzing with unpleasant thoughts.

Nala, sensing through her grief that her mate was thinking of something, said, "Simba? What is it?"

Simba didn't answer right away. He stood up and walked slowly outside, to the tip of Pride Rock's ledge. He could just barely make out the northern border from where he stood. Nala got up and joined him, her tears flowing silently now. "Simba?" she asked again. "What are you thinking about?"

Simba looked at her, hesitated, and said, "I know who killed our son."

(Some time later)

Simba sent Zazu to fetch Zira, but he didn't say why. While the hornbill delivered his message, Nala tried to talk Simba out of his decision.

"Simba, we have no proof!" she said.

"I don't need proof!" Simba snapped. "I know Zira killed him! I can feel it in my bones!"

"But Simba, we cannot punish her unless we're certain!" Nala persisted. "Without Kopa's body, we have no way of knowing if it was her!"

"That's probably why she got rid of it!" Simba shouted. "She probably dumped him in the elephant graveyard to destroy the evidence! At any rate, I know it was another lion! I saw those wounds! There was no mistaking it! Kopa was killed by another lion, and I know it was Zira!"

Stung by the image of Kopa's body lying in the elephant graveyard, Nala tried to argue. "You don't…"

"I don't care!" Simba's voice rose to a scream, echoing off the stone walls of the den. "I don't care if there's no proof! I know it was Zira! Can't you feel it too, Nala? Can't you feel in your heart and soul that Zira killed our child? She was always loyal to Scar, and this is her revenge! I don't need any more proof than that!"

Nala didn't say anything for a while. She looked as if she was pondering something too painful to even imagine.

Finally, she said, in a remarkably calm voice considering the circumstances, "You're right. I do know it was her. But Simba, we have to go about this differently. We can't punish her just because we have the same gut feeling. Please let me finish," she added when Simba opened his mouth to interrupt. He closed it and nodded once. "So we exile her for a completely different reason. You said it yourself, she's been loyal to Scar from the very beginning. Isn't that reason enough to banish her?"

Several of the lionesses in the den nodded and murmured in agreement. Simba glanced around at them. It was no secret that most of the pride disliked Zira even before Kopa's murder and that any reason to exile her was fine by them. So Simba sighed, looked back at Nala, and said, "All right. Let's do it."

(Some time later)

The sun was beginning to set when Zira climbed onto Pride Rock, where Simba and the lionesses were waiting for her. "Simba," she said in a sorrowful voice that no one fell for, "I heard about poor Kopa. I am so…"

"Silence!" Simba shouted.

Zira froze, her eyes wide with surprise and – was it possible? – a slight trace of fear.

Simba advanced toward her, his face contorted in cold fury. "You, your family, and your followers are hereby exiled from the Pride Lands," he said. "You have until sunrise tomorrow to get out. You will live in the Outlands, beyond the safety and security of this place. And if you ever step one paw into the Pride Lands, you will pay with your life."

Zira looked stunned. She said, "On what grounds? If this is about Kopa, I assure you that I had nothing to…"

"This isn't about Kopa," Simba snapped, but he could tell that Zira saw through his lie. "This is for your continuing loyalty to Scar, even though he is no longer king."

"Yes, because you killed him!" Zira growled.

Simba let out an angry roar and lunged forward, stopping only inches from Zira's face. "Get off of our land!" he snarled.

Zira bared her teeth. "These are Scar's lands, not yours! You cannot make me…!"

Simba attacked, taking one of Zira's ears in his teeth. He felt the flesh tear and heard her shriek of rage and pain. It took him all of his self-control to back off, spitting out a small piece of her skin. He wanted to slash at her, to sink his teeth into her throat, to end her life as she'd ended Kopa's.

But he held back. Zira staggered, bleeding from the new hole in her ear and snarling. "Just wait, Simba," she growled. "One day I will return, and then…then you will pay dearly for all you've done!"

Simba roared, "GET OUT!"

Zira turned and fled, not once looking back, and was soon out of sight. Simba faced his family, his anger slowly ebbing away. "All right," he said. "It's over. We have done everything we can."

They held a funeral for Kopa the next day, even though they had no body to mourn over. Many tears were shed and Rafiki blessed the rock where Kopa's body had been discovered in order to ward off pain and suffering in the future.

Zira and the others left for the Outlands at once. When asked by a devastated Vitani why, Zira only said that Simba was their enemy and that he was to blame for all their troubles.

And then, a few months later, Kiara was born and presented to the Pride Lands. After Rafiki had held up the newborn cub for all to see, Simba nuzzled her and said quietly, "I promise, little one, I will never let anything happen to you. You will always be safe. I promise."

The Circle of Life would continue.

(Present day)

"And that's pretty much it," Simba finished. "Over time, we learned to move on. We soon stopped talking about him. Every time his name was mentioned, it tore open those slowly healing wounds to bleed again, so we learned to stop thinking about him altogether.

"And then you decided to venture into the Outlands," he continued, looking at Kiara with a small smile. She grinned sheepishly back. "I did everything I could to keep you safe. If you'd met the same fate as Kopa I don't know what we would have done. But every attempt to keep you safe seemed to do no good. Soon, you fell in love with an Outsider."

Kovu chuckled humorlessly. "That explains why you hated me so much," he said.

"You have no idea how hard it was to accept you," Simba said, nodding. "Every time I saw you, I saw Kopa. And Zira. I don't think you know just how close I came to killing you instead of exiling you after that ambush."

He shook his head and turned to Kiara again.

"Then you came between that fight yesterday. And you told me that we were one. That was the most difficult thing I've ever had to do, accepting the Outlanders into the pride. It meant truly putting the past behind me. And I thought, maybe, I'd succeeded. Until now."

He sighed, and Nala walked up to him, nuzzling his cheek.

"Mother never mentioned him," Vitani said quietly. "Not once. She brainwashed us into thinking that you were our enemy and trained us to kill, and over time, I forgot all about Kopa. And now…" She looked up at Simba. "Now I remember how much I loved him."

Simba nodded in understanding. "Well, I actually feel a little better about it, now that we've talked about him," he said. "I feel like a burden has been lifted from my shoulders."

"Yes, sometimes talking about the past can ease its pain," Rafiki agreed wisely.

Simba nodded again, glanced up at the sun, and chuckled. "Well, we've spent most of the morning talking," he said. "I think it's time to return to our normal lives. Zazu, what's the morning report?"


	10. Chapter 9: The Visitor

Chapter Nine

The Visitor

Later that afternoon, Zazu was flying around the Pride Lands as usual, looking for anything out of the ordinary to report back to Simba. So far, everything seemed to be running smoothly. The animals were sharing the water hole for once, and all the herds were peacefully grazing.

Then he spotted something and flew a little lower to investigate. The creature looked up, and Zazu gasped. It was a lion. He looked pretty young, with a full brown mane and a healthy, slender body. He smiled up at Zazu and called, "Hello! Could you…"

But Zazu was already flying back to Pride Rock to alert Simba. "Hey! Wait up!" the lion called, and he started running across the savanna underneath the hornbill.

Zazu reached Pride Rock in a matter of minutes and called out, "Sire! There's a rogue lion in the Pride Lands! He's heading this way!"

Simba, who had been resting beside Nala, jumped to his feet and ran onto the ledge. Sure enough, the lion was rapidly approaching. He slowed to a walk as he reached the base of Pride Rock and looked up at the king, who eyed the newcomer imperiously. "Who are you, rogue, and what is your purpose?"

The lion just stared up at him, his mouth slightly open. He didn't say anything, but Simba could see a swirl of confusing emotions spinning in his eyes: joy, shock, fear, sadness, all blending together to create one nameless feeling.

"I asked you what you are doing here," Simba called down. "Speak, rogue."

The lion finally found his voice. "Simba? Is that you? Is it really you?"

It wasn't the fact that the lion knew his name that made Simba start with surprise. He was fairly well-known even beyond the boundary of the Pride Lands. No, what bothered him was that the newcomer's voice sounded very much like his own.

Nala stepped forward to see what was going on, and, seeing her, the lion said, "Nala? Is that you as well?"

Nala's expression of shock and confusion mirrored Simba's.

"Who are you?" Simba asked, genuinely curious now.

Nothing in the world could have prepared him for the lion's answer.

"Father, it's me. Kopa. I'm home."

This announcement was followed by a long silence that seemed to stretch into eternity. Simba and Nala exchanged looks of stunned disbelief before returning their gazes to the newcomer.

At length, Simba replied, "That cannot be. My son is dead."

The lion shook his head. "No, Father. I'm alive. It's me."

He started to climb the stone steps leading to the ledge. Normally, Simba would have attacked any lion who dared attempt it, but royal protocol was the furthest thing from his mind.

The lion reached the ledge, and Simba examined him closely. The face was much like his own, but he could see hints of Nala in the shape of his cheekbones. Now that he was near, he could also see three thin scars running across his face. The young lion smiled, and Nala gasped as she saw the similarities between his grin and Simba's.

But what finally convinced them were the lion's bright brown eyes.

_My eyes! _Simba realized.

"Kopa?" he said softly, hardly daring to believe it. "You're alive? You really are alive?"

The lion nodded, and a lone tear began to slide down his cheek. "Yes, Father. I'm alive. And I'm home."

There was a pause. Then Simba let out a cry of sheer delight and leapt toward his son, rubbing his head against Kopa's and nuzzling him. Nala joined them, crying tears of joy and whispering, "Oh Kopa, my baby, you're alive, you're really alive!"

"What's going on?"

The three lions looked around to see the lionesses gathered at the mouth of the den. In front were Kiara, Kovu, and Vitani.

Simba wanted to shout with glee and tell them all that his son was alive, but words failed him. So it was Kopa who spoke first. "Vitani? Is that you?"

Like Simba and Nala, Vitani – along with everyone else – looked taken aback. "Uh…yes, I am Vitani," she said warily. "Who are you?"

"Vitani, it's me. Kopa. I'm home."

Vitani stared at him. Then she cried, "Kopa!" and ran to him. She rubbed her head against his and he nuzzled her tenderly. "Kopa, oh Kopa," she sighed, "I've missed you so much! So much! I love you, Kopa!"

"I love you too, Vitani," Kopa replied.

They pulled back, and Kiara approached them, Kovu right behind her. "Hello, Kopa," she said. "You wouldn't know me. I'm Kiara, your sister."

Kopa's eyes widened. "My sister!" he gasped. "Yes, I remember, Mother was expecting you when I went missing." He nuzzled her as well and added, "It's great to finally meet you."

"So, Kopa," said Simba, and everyone turned to look at him, "tell us, where have you been for all these years? Why did you wait so long to return? And how in the name of the Great Kings did you survive Zira's attack?"

Kopa sighed and said, "It's kind of a long story."

"We have plenty of time," Nala said, smiling warmly.

Kopa grinned and said, "Well, you see, up until a couple of days ago, I had no memory of anything that happened. I couldn't remember anything, not the attack, my parents, my home, even my own name."

He paused, his eyes gazing out over the Pride Lands but seeing something else, far away. "I was fortunate enough to be found by a friendly lioness named Bahati. She rescued me from a stampede and, since I had no memory of who I was, she took me in and raised me as her own…"


	11. Chapter 10: Kopa's Story

Chapter Ten

Kopa's Story

It took Kopa a long time to regain consciousness. It was almost sunset when he finally opened his eyes blearily and looked around.

The first thing he saw was a young lioness lying nearby, watching him. When she saw that he was awake, she smiled and said, "Hello, little one. How are you feeling?"

Kopa blinked and tried to stand. He gasped as his injured leg tried to support his weight and collapsed. The lioness stood up and hurried over. She started to nuzzle him.

"It…it hurts," Kopa said weakly.

"What hurts?" asked the lioness gently.

"Everything."

The lioness looked at him sadly. "There's a river not too far from here," she said. "I'll take you there. You can get something to drink, and the water will feel good. Do you think you can stand?"

Kopa tried again, but his hind leg wouldn't allow it. He shook his head.

"Okay. Climb on," said the lioness, crouching down as low as she could. Kopa scrambled up her side and straddled her back. She stood up slowly, being very careful not to jostle him, and started walking.

"My name is Bahati," said the lioness as she crested a small hill. "What's yours?"

Kopa thought about it, but to his surprise, he couldn't remember. "I…I don't know," he said.

"Well, don't worry, it might come to you later," Bahati said soothingly. "You've obviously been in quite a tussle. A blow to the head could easily mix up your memories, but I'm sure it will come back in a while." She hesitated, then asked, "Do you remember how you got those scratches?"

Again, Kopa searched his memories, but nothing came to him. "No," he said. Then, after a moment, he asked, "What happened?"

"Well, I was doing some hunting and I got a little turned around," Bahati explained. "I ended up in the Pride Lands by mistake. I heard a commotion and investigated, and I saw a herd of zebra in a stampede. Usually, I wouldn't have thought anything of it. But then I saw you. You were lying on a rock, and the zebra were running all around you. I knew it was only a matter of time before one of them stepped on you, so I went after you. I was lucky; I got to you just before one of the zebra stepped on the rock. He would have gotten your head if I'd been just a second later.

"Then I brought you back here. I couldn't just leave you in the Pride Lands; whoever had tried to kill you would probably try again. I figured you'd be safer with me."

"The Pride Lands?" Kopa asked.

"Yes," said Bahati. "Ruled by King Simba. Does that sound familiar?"

Kopa thought for a moment, then said, "No, I guess not."

They reached the river, and Bahati called out to two other lionesses that were already there, "Amani! Shani! He's awake!"

"Finally!" said one of them. "I was beginning to worry. How is he?"

"I think he's going to be okay," Bahati replied. "His injuries are pretty bad, but he's made it this far, and the bleeding's mostly stopped."

"What's his name?" asked the second lioness.

"He doesn't remember," Bahati explained. "He doesn't remember anything yet. Give it time; I think it'll come back to him." She crouched, allowing Kopa to slide down to the ground. "Little one, these are my sisters," Bahati said. "This is Amani." She nodded at the first lioness. "And this is Shani." The second lioness nodded her head, smiling.

"Come on over to the river, you poor thing," Amani said. "You must be thirsty."

Kopa nodded weakly, unable to speak. He tried to stand again and managed to limp over to the bank of the river. He started to drink. He hadn't realized just how thirsty he was.

"So what are we going to do until he remembers everything?" Shani asked Bahati.

"We'll keep him here with us," Bahati answered promptly. "I've always wanted to raise a cub."

"Careful, Bahati," Amani warned. "If you get too attached to him and he remembers where he came from, you'll have to say a painful good-bye."

Kopa finished drinking. "Dear, why don't you climb into the river?" Amani said kindly. "The cool water will feel good, and we can get you cleaned up."

Kopa nodded and limped into the water. Amani was right; it felt great against his hot flesh. Amani joined him and started to lick him clean.

"So what's the final decision?" Shani asked.

Kopa finally spoke up. "Can I stay with you? Please?"

The three lionesses gazed at him sadly. Bahati answered, "Of course, poor dear. You can stay as long as you want, or at least until you regain your memory. After that…well, we'll see."

But Kopa didn't regain his memory. So the cub, who Bahati named Fahamu, lived with the three lionesses, totally unaware of who he really was. In time, he recovered from his injuries until all that remained were three scars on his face and a slight limp in his left hind leg, and it was so faint that it was hardly noticeable when he walked.

Weeks passed, turning into months, which turned into years. Fahamu grew into a strong young lion. The brown tuft of hair on his head turned into a long, royal mane, which, Bahati told him, was something to be proud of. Fahamu was happy, too. He loved his adoptive mother and her sisters as if they were his real family, and they treated him as if he had always been one of them.

But Fahamu still didn't remember where he'd come from or what had happened to him that led to his rescue. He couldn't pretend it didn't bother him, either, especially on the rare occasion that one of the sisters mentioned King Simba and the Pride Lands. He couldn't shake the nagging suspicion that these names meant something, but he could never figure out why.

Then, one fine day, as the sun was starting to set over the horizon, everything changed…

Fahamu woke up from his nap and yawned, stretching luxuriously. He stood up and looked around to see Bahati smiling at him. Amani glanced up and said, "Oh, Sleepy-head's awake now, huh?"

Fahamu laughed warmly and walked over to where the two lionesses were relaxing. Nuzzling Bahati, he asked, "Where's Aunt Shani?"

"She went to find something for us to eat," Bahati answered. "Did you sleep well?"

"Yes, Mother, very well," Fahamu replied.

Bahati gazed up at him fondly. "My, how you've grown," she sighed. "I can still remember when you were just a cub."

"Me too," said Amani, smiling. "All you wanted to do was play."

Fahamu chuckled and said, "Yeah, well, cubs will be cubs."

He heard footsteps and looked up to see Shani approaching, dragging a dead antelope. "Dinner is served," she announced, dropping it on the ground.

As Bahati and Amani stood up, Shani added, "Oh yes, and news from the Pride Lands. Apparently, King Simba is going to war with the lions in the Outlands, led by a lioness called Zira. I don't think we'll have to worry about it, though; it's pretty far away, and…"

"Fahamu?" Bahati asked, suddenly concerned. "Are you okay?"

At the mention of Zira's name, Fahamu had frozen, eyes wide with shock and sudden realization. His mind was reeling with a wave of sudden memories.

_He was running as fast as his little legs would carry him. He could hear the pounding of heavy paws directly behind him and screamed, "Mom! Dad! Help me! Somebody! Anybody! HELP!"_

_And he heard the snarl of his pursuer: "There's no one to hear you scream, Kopa!"_

"Fahamu?"

Fahamu blinked and the sounds faded. He could see Bahati, Amani, and Shani all staring at him with concern and alarm.

It took him a moment to speak, and when he finally did, it was in a soft whisper the others could barely hear.

"I remember."

"What?" Bahati asked.

"I…I remember everything!" Fahamu cried. "My…my name is Kopa, I'm the son of Simba and Nala, King and Queen of the Pride Lands. I was attacked by Zira one night…I thought I was going to die, and…" He looked up. The others were still staring at him, shocked. "And you saved me, Mother."

Bahati blinked, and tears started to well up in her eyes. Amani sighed, "I knew this would happen." Shani just gaped at him.

Then Bahati stepped up to him and nuzzled his cheek. "Well, Fahamu…I mean, Kopa…I'm glad you remember who you are. I wish you all the best."

Kopa felt his heart miss a beat. "Mother, I…I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry for, dear," Bahati said, trying to smile and not quite managing it. "And you should probably stop calling me 'Mother,' now that you remember who your true mother is."

Kopa didn't know what to say. There was a long silence. Finally, Bahati sighed and said, "Well, I guess you'd better be going, then."

Kopa didn't move. "My parents probably think I'm dead," he said. "They've probably moved on by now. What good would it do any of them for me to return?"

"It's your home," Bahati replied. "It's where you belong." When Kopa hesitated, she added, "It's okay, I understand. I knew you'd remember sooner or later. And now you have, and you need to go home."

Kopa glanced around at the three lionesses, the only family he'd known for the past few years, sighed, and said, "I'll think it over."

And he did. He barely got any sleep that night as he tossed and turned, memories flooding his mind: stargazing with his father, pouncing on Zazu, the joy when he'd discovered he was going to be a big brother, Grandma Sarabi before she died, playing with Vitani in the middle of the night…

Accidentally bumping noses with Vitani…

Vitani saying she loved him…

He sighed and rolled over. He knew what he had to do.

He left the next morning after a series of tearful good-byes. "No matter what happens," Bahati had said as he nuzzled her good-bye, "I will always love you. Don't forget that."

"I won't, Bahati," he'd replied. "And I love you, too."

The journey back to the Pride Lands took most of the day. The sun was setting when he reached a canyon he knew to be part of the boundary between home and the Outlands. Looking around, Kopa searched for a way to pass over it. There was nothing except for a path that led down the steep, rocky side of the gorge to the banks of the river below. He could tell that it had rained here very recently; the rocks were wet and slippery. He walked slowly down the narrow passage, taking care not to slip.

It took him about ten minutes to reach the bottom. Once he made it, he scanned the opposite wall for a similar path that would lead him back up to the Pride Lands. He spotted a series of outcroppings he could use as stepping stones and waded into the river. The current was calm and the water was shallow, and he made it across in no time.

Then he saw something that made him pause. A gray lump was resting on the bank of the river fifteen feet from where he stood. Curious, he went to investigate…and froze.

It was a lioness. Her eyes were closed, and her bony, scrawny side heaved with her labored breathing. Kopa recognized her at once, even though he hadn't seen her in years.

"Zira," he said.

The lioness opened her eyes at the sound of her name and looked up.

"Hello," Kopa said coldly. "I must admit, I didn't expect to ever see you again."

Zira didn't respond.

"You don't recognize me, do you?" Kopa said. "Well, I suppose that's to be expected. The last time you saw me, I was only a cub, running for my life while you were trying to kill me."

Zira's eyes widened, and she opened her mouth to reveal sharp, yellow teeth. "K-Kopa!" she gasped.

"You remember me," said Kopa. "I'm flattered."

Zira's eyes were filled with a mixture of anger, shock, and fear, but she didn't say anything more.

"You failed, Zira," Kopa said. "You tried to disrupt the Circle of Life by killing me, but you failed. I survived, and your deeds have caught up to you. No, Zira, I'm not going to kill you. I'm going to let nature take care of that. I just wanted you to know just how wrong you were."

Zira shifted slightly as if trying to rise. Then she gasped and screwed up her face in pain. Slowly, her muscles relaxed, and she finally lay still as life left her completely.

(Some time later)

By the time Kopa reached the northern border of the Pride Lands, night had fallen and he was exhausted. He lay down to sleep at the base of a large tree and did not wake up until late the next morning. When he did, he started to feel nervous. Now that he was close, he couldn't help but wonder what he was about to find. It had been years since he'd been in the Pride Lands. Would Simba reject him? Would he think he was lying? Would he try to fight?

Kopa shook his head and banished these thoughts. Simba wouldn't do any of that. Time may have passed, but he was still Kopa's father. That hadn't changed.

And if he did…well, he could always return to Bahati and the others.

So, with high hopes and jangling nerves, Kopa set off for Pride Rock.

(Present day)

Kopa finished his story, relieved to finally be done. Talking about Bahati, Amani, and Shani had produced a hollow ache in his heart.

He looked around at his family. After he'd started talking, Zazu had flown to fetch Timon, Pumbaa, Ma, Uncle Max, and Rafiki, and once they had arrived and expressed their surprise and joy that he was still alive, he'd had to start his story over. He was glad to be done.

Vitani rubbed her head against his shoulder lovingly, and his heart lifted a little. His feelings for her had not diminished, and he grinned, nuzzling her.

Nala was the first to speak. "Kopa, we are so glad to have you back," she said, a tear sliding down her cheek. "We've all missed you terribly."

Kopa stepped up to her and nuzzled her cheek. "I'm sorry, Mother," he said. "I wish I could have remembered sooner. I would have come back."

"Shhh," Nala soothed. "It's okay. You couldn't help it. It wasn't your fault."

"Indeed not," agreed Rafiki. "The mind does strange things, young Prince, and you cannot always understand it. You just have to move with it."

Kopa grinned and nodded.

"Well we've still got a little problem to fix," said Timon. "Kopa's alive. But Kiara has been declared heir to the throne since everyone thought he was dead. So…who's next in line?"

There was a pause. No one had thought of that.

Then Simba said, "Well, Kiara has been declared as my heir. Kopa, I'm really sorry, but…"

But Kopa interrupted him. "I didn't come back to claim a position. I just wanted to be home with my family. Being king is not important to me." He turned to Kiara and smiled. "The throne belongs to you, little sis."

"Little sis?" Kiara said, pretending to be offended.

Kopa laughed. "Hey, I've got years of sibling rivalry that I've gotta make up for."

Everyone laughed, including Kiara.

"That's not all you have to make up for," Simba said. He nodded to Vitani.

"You're right," Kopa said, turning to her. "I've got to make up for lost time." He nuzzled her lovingly and added in a whisper only she could hear, "I love you. I've never stopped loving you. I want to be with you always."

"That's what I want, too," Vitani sighed, pressing her head to his chest and sighing contentedly.

"Oh, I love moments like this!" Pumbaa said. It sounded like he was on the verge of tears.

"Pumbaa, don't even start," Timon said. "Because if you start crying, then I'm gonna start crying, and then everybody's gonna start crying, and it ain't gonna be pretty."

"Too late," said Timon's Ma, pointing to Uncle Max, who was sobbing.

"That's so beautiful!" he choked.

Everyone laughed again.

There was a pause where no one could think of anything to say. Kopa's smile slowly faded. He turned his gaze upon the Pride Lands, studying it for the first time in years. It still looked the same as it had then, but it had changed. Everything had changed.

Simba finally spoke up. "You miss them a lot, don't you?" he asked, his voice full of understanding.

Kopa looked at his father, hesitated, and nodded. "Yes. I am happy to be back, really. I've missed all of you from the moment I remembered who I was. But…but they were the only family I knew for a long time…" He broke off.

Simba looked thoughtful for a moment. Then he smiled and said, "Zazu?"

"Yes, Sire?" the hornbill replied.

Simba glanced once at Kopa before saying, "I need for you to deliver a message for me."


	12. Epilogue: The King's Gift

Epilogue

The King's Gift

"Bahati, look!" said Shani suddenly.

Bahati looked up to where her sisters were standing. They were looking a bird that was coming in for a landing. She stood up and joined the others to see what this was all about. The bird was a hornbill, and he cleared his throat importantly. "Are you Bahati, Amani, and Shani?" he asked.

The lionesses nodded.

The hornbill said, "I am Zazu, and I carry a message from King Simba of the Pride Lands."

The sisters exchanged surprised looks.

"His Majesty wishes to offer his thanks for keeping his son safe for the past few years while he was believed dead by everyone in the Pride Lands," Zazu said. "And it would please him and Prince Kopa if you were to follow me back at once. The royal family wishes to reward you."

"Kopa?" Bahati said. "Kopa wants us to come with you?"

"Yes, and the king as well," Zazu replied.

Bahati didn't even look to her sisters for permission or advice. "Lead the way," she said.

(Some time later)

"There they are!" Kiara cried early the next morning.

Kopa, Simba, Nala, and Vitani all ran to the tip of Pride Rock's ledge. Sure enough, Zazu was approaching, and on the ground below him were the three lionesses. They reached the base of Pride Rock and looked up, rather nervously, it seemed.

Simba smiled down at them warmly. "Come on up," he called down to them. "There's no need for formality."

The sisters exchanged glances before doing as he said, climbing the stone steps to the ledge above.

"Fahamu!" Bahati gasped when she saw the prince. "Uh, I mean…Kopa."

Kopa smiled warmly. "Hello, Bahati. It's good to see you again."

The sisters turned to Simba and bowed respectfully. "You wished to see us, Your Majesty?" Amani asked.

Simba chuckled. "Call me Simba," he said. "And yes, I do."

The sisters straightened and looked up at him, looking part awed, part worried.

"There is no need to be frightened," Simba said. "I will not harm you. I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for keeping my son safe over the last few years. You see, he was attacked, and when we couldn't find a body, we assumed him dead. It has been…hard to move on from that. And now that he is home again, I cannot express how much joy and gratitude I feel. Thank you."

"It was a pleasure, Your Ma…uh, Simba," Bahati replied, smiling. "You have an extraordinary son. He was a joy to have."

Simba chuckled and glanced at Kopa. "Yes, he is very dear to us as well."

He looked back at the sisters and paused, as if pondering what to say next. Then he said, "Yesterday, when Kopa returned, he told us all about how you rescued him from the stampede and took him in when he couldn't remember who he was. You became a second family to him, and leaving you was, I imagine, a very difficult thing for him to do. I saw for myself that he missed you all once he'd returned. I hate to see my son torn between two families. So I'm going to ask you a question."

Bahati's eyes were wide. Amani and Shani exchanged excited glances.

"Would you do us the honor of joining our pride?" Simba asked.

Bahati let out a cry of joy and said, "Yes, yes, oh yes! Thank you, Simba! Thank you so much!" She turned to Kopa and ran to him, rubbing her head against his lovingly. "Oh Kopa, it's so wonderful to be with you again."

"Yes it is," Kopa agreed.

Amani and Shani, after chuckling at Bahati's enthusiasm, thanked Simba as well and joined them. "Life just wasn't the same after you left," Amani told Kopa. "It'll be great to be your aunt again."

Vitani and Kiara joined Kopa, and quick introductions were made. Nala walked up to Simba and nuzzled him. "You did the right thing," she said, smiling.

"Come on! Let's celebrate!" called Kiara, leading the lionesses to the den. Nala rubbed Simba's cheek with her head and followed, pausing to nuzzle Kopa before joining the rest of the pride.

"Kopa, are you coming?" said Vitani when Kopa didn't move.

"I'll be there in a moment. You go on." He licked her cheek once affectionately. She smiled, her eyes sparkling, and followed Nala.

Simba and Kopa were alone on the ledge of Pride Rock.

Simba sighed. "Kopa, my son. You've grown up."

Kopa nodded. "I'm sorry I couldn't be here for you, Father," he said.

Simba shook his head. "You have nothing to be sorry for, son," he said, approaching him. "You're alive. After years of thinking you were dead, my son returns alive. That's the most wonderful thing I could have ever dreamed of." He rubbed his head against Kopa's. "I love you, my son. Welcome home."

Kopa, too emotional to form a full sentence, could only reply, "Home. I'm home."

For a long moment, father and son stood close together, simply content to be with each other. Then they turned and walked to the den to join in the others in the festivities.


	13. Alternate and Deleted Scenes

**Author's Note: **The following are five scenes that I had intended to include in this story, but like any good story or movie, they had to be cut from the final product. Some were replaced and others taken out completely. I just wanted to post them here and see what everyone thinks of them.

Simba's Nightmare

(In the prologue, Simba wakes up screaming after having a dream about his supposedly-deceased son, Kopa, which triggers the telling of the unfortunate cub's story. Originally, I had planned to actually include the nightmare in the story as the opening, but after reading it, I thought it gave away too much of the plot. So I got rid of it and instead started the prologue with Simba's scream of "NOOO!" Here is the dream.)

"Dad? Dad, wake up!"

Simba moaned and said, without opening his eyes, "Kiara, it's too early to wake up."

He heard a giggle. "Dad, I'm not Kiara. It's me!"

Confused, Simba opened his eyes. To his surprise, the sun had risen, flooding the den with light and illuminating the sleeping lionesses all around him. Beside him, Nala was lying on her side, her breathing slow and regular, and a little further away, Kiara slept with her head resting on the shoulder of her mate, Kovu. In fact, the only lion awake in the whole den, besides himself, was the cub standing right in front of him.

Simba's eyes widened with recognition. "Oh! Sorry, Kopa. I thought you were your sister. It's too early in the morning."

Kopa giggled again. "Come on, Dad! Let's play!"

Simba chuckled and replied, "Okay, okay." He stood up, stretched luxuriously, and yawned.

Kopa was already heading out onto the ledge of Pride Rock, calling back, "Come on, Dad! Hurry up!"

"I'm coming, son," Simba whispered so as not to wake anyone.

Simba stepped out onto Pride Rock's majestic cliff and glanced around at his kingdom once before following Kopa, who was bounding down the stone steps to the plains below. He was laughing, not a worry or care in the world, and Simba couldn't help but chuckle at the cub's enthusiasm. "Hakuna Matata," he said to himself.

Kopa had vanished into the tall grass by the time Simba made it down. He looked around. "Kopa?" he called. "Where did you go?"

There was no answer.

Slowly, his happiness faded away to be replaced by worry, then fear, then outright panic. "Kopa!" he called again. "Where are you?"

The only answer he got was the whisper of the wind through the brush.

Then, from somewhere to his left, he heard a distinct giggle. He looked around and sighed with relief. Kopa was playing with Vitani. That was fine.

"Kopa," he said, heading in their direction, "why didn't you answer me? You scared…"

He froze, breaking off his sentence. Kopa had rolled over and was now facing his father, and his face was covered in cuts and gashes. Blood dripped and poured from the wounds, streaking and drenching his young face, spattering the ground with splashes of red. His eyes were open, but they had lost their joyful spark and were dull and lifeless.

Then his mouth opened, and Kopa said, "Dad, why didn't you help me? You weren't watching out for me, and now I'm dead because of you. She killed me, Daddy! And you didn't stop her! You let me die!"

"N-n-no," Simba stammered, his heart thudding wildly in his chest. "No! I didn't…I had no idea…Kopa, it's not…oh, KOPA!"

Vitani stood up, and Simba looked up at her. Only she wasn't Vitani anymore, but Zira, her claws soaked in Kopa's blood, her lips peeled back in an evil grin, sharp, lethal teeth glistening in the sun.

"Hello, Simba," she purred. "I've got a little surprise for you!"

"NOOO!"

Kopa Has a Nightmare

(I actually wrote this scene before writing the actual story. Its purpose was to strengthen the bond between Kopa and Simba. It was supposed to be a sweet, tender moment, inspired by a similar scene in _The Lion King 1 ½_, but as I began writing the story, I found there was no place for me to actually put it. Kind of a shame, really, but I guess the scenes that already are in the story put enough emphasis on the father-son bond that this little piece isn't really necessary. So here it is.)

Kopa woke up with a small gasp of fright and looked wildly around, eyes wide with terror. The den looked like it should; not a stone was out of place. All the lionesses were sleeping peacefully. Outside, the night sky glittered with thousands of stars, not a cloud in sight. Everything was calm and tranquil.

Kopa lay his head down again and closed his eyes, but he opened them again almost immediately, taking another glance around, scared that the monster from his dream might be lurking nearby, waiting until he closed his eyes to pounce.

_Don't be stupid, _he told himself. _There's nothing there. You had a bad dream, that's all. No need to be so scared. _

But it didn't help. Every time he tried to close his eyes, he pictured the beast grinning wickedly, crouching and preparing to pounce.

Kopa looked around. His father was sleeping a short distance away, right beside his mother. They both looked so peaceful, their dreams pleasant and undisturbed.

He stood up and walked over to Simba. He hesitated, then nudged the king gently. Simba stirred slightly but didn't wake. Kopa tried again, this time whispering, "Dad? Dad, please wake up."

One of Simba's eyes opened blearily and looked at him, still groggy from sleep. "Kopa?" he said drowsily, stiffening slightly. "Everything okay? Is something wrong?"

"No," Kopa said quietly. "I…I had a bad dream."

Simba relaxed a little bit and sighed. "All right. Come here. You can sleep with us tonight."

Kopa smiled gratefully. "Thanks, Dad," he said and settled himself down right next to his father's warm side, snuggling into the thick fur and sighing.

Simba smiled slightly and said, "Sleep well, son."

"Good night, Dad," Kopa replied. Then, just as sleep prepared to scoop him away again, he added, "I love you."

Simba's smile widened a little. "I love you too, Kopa," he said.

But Kopa was already asleep and didn't hear him.

Alternate Stargazing Scene

(In the story as it is currently written, before Kopa sneaks out to see Vitani for the first time, he and Simba spend some time stargazing and talking together about the Great Kings of the Past. Originally, the discussion was supposed to be about the concept of Hakuna Matata and loyalty. This was to come back into play at the end, with Fahamu/Kopa remembering his father's words and choosing to return home. However, as Hakuna Matata was a major theme of both _The Lion King _and _The Lion King 1 ½_, and loyalty is why Simba returns in the first film, this scene felt a little repetitive. So I chose the Great Kings and the Circle of Life – it was a little more original, not to mention shorter! Additionally, the undertone of death serves as a subtle reminder that Kopa's supposed demise is just around the corner. So here's the Hakuna Matata stargazing scene.)

"Hey, Dad," said Kopa.

"Yes, son?"

"Uncle Timon and Uncle Pumbaa were telling me about Hakuna Matata today," said Kopa, looking sideways at his father.

Simba chuckled. "Those two…worry is a four-letter word to them."

"Huh?" Kopa asked, frowning.

"Never mind," said Simba quickly. "So what did you think of it?"

Kopa shrugged. "It sounds like it would be fun. But I don't know about that part about eating bugs."

Simba laughed. "You don't have to eat bugs to live the Hakuna Matata life," he said.

"Oh, good," Kopa said, sounding relieved. "Dad, didn't you live in Hakuna Matata for a while?"

Simba nodded. "Yes, I did."

"Was it nice?" Kopa asked.

Simba hesitated. "Well, that depends," he said slowly. "Life without worry is nice, but there are some things in life that you do need to worry about."

"Like eating?" Kopa said.

"Well, yes, but I mean things a bit more extreme than that," Simba explained. "You see, when I was living with Timon and Pumbaa, I turned my back on my pride, my home, and my family. I decided not to worry about it, even though it was my responsibility, and the Pride Lands became a terrible place to be because of that."

He sighed at the memory of his home under Scar's rule, the devastation, the barrenness, the constant sense of grief and loss…

"So what happened?" Kopa asked, interrupting Simba's musings. "What made you come back?"

Simba smiled slightly. "Your mother came by and found me," he said. "And Rafiki, too. They managed to bring me to my senses, so I decided to return and take care of what I needed to." He turned his head so that he was looking at Kopa. The cub was listening raptly. "So when it comes to Hakuna Matata, just remember that it's okay as long as it doesn't blind you to your loyalties and responsibilities."

Kopa blinked. "I don't get it," he said.

Simba chuckled. "You will someday, Kopa. Someday."

Kopa's Death

(I took this bit out for two reasons: for one, the chapter was already much longer than I'd planned, and I really wanted to shorten it a little. For another, I felt that this might be a little too grisly and horrific for a Lion King story – it is Disney, after all! As you can probably tell from the way this is written, I'm accustomed to writing bloody, gory horror tales, which the Lion King is not, so I had to tone the violence and bloodshed down a little. Now, here's Kopa's murder in complete gory detail.)

"MOM! DAD! HELP MEEEEE!"

His shriek was cut short as Zira's claws tore into him again. His limp form flopped to the ground a few feet away from where he'd been, flung aside by the sheer force of Zira's attack. The agony was excruciating, far too intense for him to even consider escape. It was over. All he could do was hope that she'd make it quick.

She didn't. Instead of pouncing again, she slowly approached him and stood towering over his battered body, grinning cruelly. "Looks like Mommy and Daddy aren't going to save you," she whispered.

Kopa could only whimper in pain and sadness. He was never going to see his parents or Vitani again. He'd never be able to pounce with his dad, get tickled by his mom, play with his best friend – only she was much more than that –, or ever be a big brother…

A single claw prodded at and sank into one of his many wounds. A hot, sharp pain shot up his spine, and he managed to let out a howl of agony through the choking sensations in his throat.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Zira said in a sarcastically concerned voice. "Did that hurt?"

Kopa could only whimper.

"How about this?" Zira asked, moving her claw slowly downward, tearing yet another gash in the cub's back. Again, Kopa screamed, though the sound was too weak and hoarse to carry far.

And so this continued for over an hour, each moment bringing a new wave of pain, until he collapsed from blood loss. The last thing he saw was the ground dropping sharply away as Zira scooped him into her mouth. He didn't stay awake to the world long enough to find out if she was going to bite him to death. His last conscious thought was, _Dad, I'm sorry…I'm sor…_

Then the world swirled, faded, and Kopa closed his eyes…

Kovu's Question

(This short piece was originally part of the conversation that took place after Kopa tells of his survival and return to Pride Rock. As you can see, it casts a somewhat dark blotch on the joy of his return, so I cut it. I didn't want Kovu to be the party-pooper.)

"So…" Kovu said, looking uncomfortable, "my mother…really is dead?"

Kopa looked over at him and nodded once. "Yes. I'm sorry."

Kovu shrugged. "It's okay, I guess. It's just that…it's so final now…" He sighed and added, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't dwell on it."


End file.
